Article by
Sandy Deane

Published on
June 1, 2018

Leader of the Barbados Integrity Movement Neil Holder today served notice he’s prepared to go as far as the High Court to challenge the decision of Member of Parliament for St Michael West Joseph Atherley to cross the floor and assume the post of Opposition Leader.

In fact, in a strong statement, Holder also suggested that a by election should be held in the constituency which Atherley won on a Barbados Labour Party (BLP) ticket in the May 24 general elections with just under 78 per cent of the votes cast, beating his nearest rival, Michael Carrington of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), who had held the seat for the past two terms, by 3, 214 votes to 838. The three other parties in the raced polled a combined 132 votes.

Neil Holder

“I am publicly calling for the people of St Michael West to remove from the House of Parliament, the Reverend Joseph Atherley, and I am going to have legal counsel in order that we can present a document to the Governor General which will suggest the way we seek this outcome, and if necessary, we will take it the High Court to be challenged.

“We need to act on this and send a very serious message to Reverend Joseph Atherley,” Holder, who contested the seat and placed last with just 32 votes, said

Atherley, who leads the Evangelical Holiness Christian Community Church, told journalists today he made his decision after coming to the conclusion that Barbadians would be better served with an Opposition in Parliament despite the 30-nil mandate given to the BLP.

However, while labelling the surprise move as “a slap in the face” to Prime Minister Mia Mottley, Holder insisted that “it cannot be fair, honest, prudent or equitable for Reverend Atherley at this point to walk away from that mandate which the people of St Michael West gave to him to say that he is now becoming the Leader of the Opposition, totally disrespecting the trust and commitment from the people of St Michael West to him for the next five years”.

In a more measured response, United Progressive Party (UPP) leader Lynette Eastmond dismissed reports that she had been handpicked as one of two senators to be announced by the newly installed Opposition Leader.

Lynette Eastmond

Eastmond told Barbados TODAY “no one has approached me about anything at all”.

She however did not rule out the possibility, saying she would consider it if she were approached.

“It is something I would consider. Whenever I am asked to serve my country I have done so. I have never refused to do that,” she said.

Eastmond, an attorney-at-law and former BLP colleague of Atherley’s before she quit the party last year and formed the UPP, described the overnight political development as part of the “organic process of politics”.

She also said it was a perfectly legal move, explaining that the Constitution does not recognize political parties but only sitting members of Parliament.

“He has therefore followed the process that is available to any sitting member of the Parliament. Any candidate has the opportunity to put their hand up and say, ‘I want to be the Prime Minister. Whose support do I have?’ By the same token they can put their hand up and say, ‘I want to be Leader of the Opposition.’”

While she stayed clear of commenting on whether it was a positive or negative development, Eastmond argued that “Barbadians were concerned about not having an Opposition, so now the country has one”.

However, defeated DLP candidate for St James Central George Connolly said he was baffled over Atherley’s move.

Connolly, who was beaten soundly by Kerrie Symmonds – now Minister of Tourism and International Transport – believed Atherley’s action was strange, especially coming so soon after such an overwhelming victory by his party.

“It also appears opportunistic. I don’t know which party he is going to join. I don’t know what direction he is going to go. I understand the rationale where people want to assume a leadership role, but the timing of it so quickly after the election is baffling to say the least,” Connolly told Barbados TODAY this afternoon.

He noted that constitutionally Atherley could now name two senators and then take the fight to the ruling BLP.He however raised another question regarding the implications of the move by the St Michael West MP.

“Some people who are very cynical might very well say that the Barbados Labour Party is both Government and Opposition as well. By doing that you defuse any potency that the Opposition really has. So it’s a strange time for Barbados,” Connolly added.

While sticking to an earlier position that his party should accept the Government’s offer to name two representatives in the Senate, Connolly still wondered if Atherley’s swearing in would now make that offer null and void.

Describing Atherley as a “decent man”, Phillips expressed hope that the new Opposition Leader would take into consideration the economic plan put forward by Solutions Barbados. which he maintained was the only plan that would spare Barbadians from painful austerity, while returning the country to growth.

“He is another voice as Opposition Leader. We can appeal to him to review our plan. We are here to help . . .and let’s all work together for the good of the country,” Phillips said.

21 thoughts on “Mixed response from parties to Opposition appointment”

It is not fair to those who take the political risk to openly support Joe and in six days he changed his stripes. The constitution should be amended to state that if you switch parties you should face the electorate.again.

Hammie La turned partie hopping into a popular sport, but I believe it is not fair to the constituents who voted for the candidate

For the first time I support Neil Holder his comment is correct. Despite the statement of legalese, The MP for St.Michael West won on a party ticket if he is so confident of his actions and support let them have a by-election to see if his constituents approve of his position. After all his intended goal is to serve them first.We the people got tired of the innuendo and double talk from the last administration,within a week a new MP returns with more of the same let him seek public approval for his actions . It is also quite clear from the above article another party leader is quite willing to be self-serving as we expect of most politicians .a note to my countrymen this is what got is here in the first place!

Come people let’s use some common sense here. Joe Atherley’s move constitutionally and legally did not break any laws, but was it morally correct?

His rational and explanation given is that Barbados would be better served having an elected Opposition serving in the Lower House which will bring a balance to whatever the government brings to the floor of Parliament.

My understanding of this situation according to the Westminster system of democracy by which we as a nation has copied and patterned ourselves after is, there is absolutely nothing in that system of democracy which states beyond any doubt that the country and ruling government must have an elected Opposition. The duty of an elected Opposition only comes into being by the electorate who have voted for candidates that are not of the government that have won their respective seats, therefore you will have a duly election Queen’s Opposition to the ruling government.

The mandate given to the Barbados Labour Party a week ago did not implied in any form or fashion that they were mandated to have an Opposition. This idea that is being bandied around that Mia Mottley technically will both be government and Opposition toappose matter in Parliament is completely rediculous and nonsensical. Do you all really believe that Prime Minister Mottley will entertain rediculous motions in Parliament then to opposed them and have a completely different resolution? That is stupid ideology. Those who think and believe that a complete majority in Parliament is not a good thing for us, just take a look at our neighbour Grenada, the people of Grenada gave the Keith Mitchell administration a complete majority of all fifteen (15)seats on two separate occasions. The Grenadian people lived under a semi dictatorship with Eric Gairy, they then had a bloodless coup with Maurice Bishop to free themselves from that oppression, followed by the Bernard Core bloody revolution. With all that they have experienced, they have never had not even the slightest hint of instability in the two occasions that they gave Dr Mitchell complete control of their Parliament.
What is there to to show now that we a nation who has never had any kind of unrest since the riots in 1937, will have injustice and immoral practices in our Parliament led by Mia Mottley? I say none, I say the people gave the complete mandate to Mia Mottley and the Barbados Labour Party to manage the affairs of the country, therefore no other individual or group of people has that authority or right to change other to what they gave by their vote.
Joe Atherley is wrong for taking that decision of being the Opposition to the government, when the people by their vote did not see fit to have an Opposition, that fact cannot be disputed or denied, no matter how politically correct it may sound about bringing a balance to Parliament.

If Mr Atherley felt so vehemently strong about their being an Opposition in Parliament, the morally correct thing for him to do was hold an emergency meeting with the constituency of St Michael West, state his views and recommendations, let the people of St Michael West decide if they are willing to to have him as Opposition to the government, or resign, not take the constituency’s confidence in him as a Barbados Labour Party candidate under which he was elected and resigned from the government in that shockingly manner to be an Opposition Leader.

Whatever Joe Atherley says or try to do now to appease the people and quell the uneasy thoughts of his move to be the Opposition to the government has nothing to do with money or coercion from other forces, he has brought it all on himself given the numerical difference in salaries of just being a sitting member of Parliament and that as Opposition Leader.

Mr Atherley, since you are so high on morals and morality and ethics, do the ethically and morally right thing and let the people of St Michael West decide by vote if they wish to retain you as their representative in Parliament as the Opposition, you took that right away from them by your action, when there was clearly no fault of the government by their actions for you to take such a stance. Do the right thing Mr Atherley and let the people of St Michael West decide if they wish to repose their confidence in you as they representative in an Opposition capacity.

Once Bajans don’t have ANY OF DEM in ANY form in Government affairs I am SATISFIED with ANYTHING ANYBODY from the BEES does.
Here we have known DLP clowns on this blog praising Atherleys’ move not realizing that as Chairman of the PAC some of DEM could be SH8ing soft once again.
PM MIA…I want you to take DEM to the local Court and then to the C C J

The members of Mia’s government who were opposition members when they walked out of parliament must be also held accountable for all that took place in their absence.

Had they been in parliament until it was dissolved, several decisions made by the D L P government would not have been made, as they would have been debated, reducing time allowed to accomplish some decisions. Opposition members have to be held accountable for not completing the mandate set by the people similarly to what must now apply to sitting governments.

David Thompson did the same thing (walk out of parliament) in 2007, then to also accuse the Owen Arthur lead B L P of several misgivings as well.

As many of us may agree, there’s several pieces of legislation that needs changing to make our country function better. Only Errol Barrow 1986, Owen Arthur 1999, and Mia Mottley 2018 has had 2/3 majorities in parliament that allows for a free hand to adjust old, and implement new legislation. The first piece of legislation they see necessary to address is the constitutional needed to admit Mr. Raydon Adams to the senate. Now apart from wanting to place the son of Tom Adams in a position to contest the St. Thomas seat when Cynthia Forde bows out, thereby making him a future candidate to be the leader of the
B L P and maybe our Prime Minister, what else could be so critical about that constitutional change? The B L P has already started to reshape Barbados, but not for the masses.

This B L P government yet after creating new cabinet posts without knowing the magnitude of work to be done. They later came to the public after meeting with the social partners, varying interest groups, employees in the Ministry of Finance, and of course the Central Bank of Barbados telling the people the state of the country is worse than they thought. They have now declared their intention (already known by some including myself) their intention to engage the IMF. They are yet to disclose the percentage to be charged at the pump, as that percentage will come in a budget, and will provide the impetus for an IMF agreement. Unfortunately though, the only persons to really benefit from the removal of the N S R L, Road tax, and VAT reduction will be the retailers, and other business interest with fleets. They will benefit because, they will now have reduced taxes on their operation, and they will pass on the fuel tax to their customers. Only those without a customer base will actually pay that tax.

There’s much more I can say, but I await further developments by this government. I think the program on the people’s business last night was too early. It only served the government’s purpose currently, I would wish to see another such program sometime in April 2019, the end of the current financial year.

Most importantly, unless our government make a huge dent in our agricultural, and energy sectors by investing heavily in them and developing new, local investment friendly legislation we will remain one of the IMF’s best customers.